| Top Trends |
| Happy Valentine’s Day!! TAKE A WALK: |
| Are older people in your community getting fatter because it’s too hard to take walks in their neighborhoods? A study by Dartmouth Medical School researchers published in the March issue of the American Journal of Public Health shows that senior citizens living in the Seattle region who lived in more walkable neighborhoods were more fit than those who didn’t. Men living in more walkable neighborhoods were about six times more likely to walk for exercise, and women were 75 percent more likely to walk for exercise. |
| For more info contact Lisa Esposito at 202-387-2829 or hbns-editor@cfah.org. |
| CREATIVE VALENTINES: |
| Chocolates and flowers sometimes take a back seat on Valentine's Day to more unusual gifts. |
| Have reporters interview passers-by about out-of-the-ordinary Valentine's Day gifts they have given, received, or plan to give this year. |
| WORKPLACE LOVE: |
| Nearly four in 10 workers would consider dating a coworker, and nearly four in 10 have done so, according to a recent survey by staffing firm Spherion. The survey reports that 25 percent of such romances lead to the altar, but also found that 41 percent of workers are concerned that workplace romance might endanger their job security. What is the workplace-romance scene among your readers and viewers and what do HR professionals say on the subject? |
| For Spherion survey, click here: www.spherion.com. |
| PETS: |
| Have many people in your area fought the law to keep unusual pets? A woman in Herndon, Md. is fighting to keep her potbellied pig, illegal under zoning laws under which pigs are classified as livestock. Have people been forced to abandon pets like geese and ducks as a result of zoning changes caused by urbanization? |
| Check with local Zoning Board officials about people cited for keeping illegal pets and how the cases were resolved. |
| CREDIT CARDS: |
| Despite the growing threat of identify theft and the importance of one’s credit score in getting a good interest rate when buying a house or car, most people still don’t have any idea what their credit score is, according to recent surveys sponsored by TransUnion’s TrueCredit.com. Sixty-three percent of those polled said they don’t know their credit score and 47 percent never check their credit reports. |
| Do man-on-the-street interviews to see how many people are familiar with their credit scores and credit reports. For more info contact Steven Katz at 312-985-2373 or skatz@transunion.com. |
| PENSION PLANS: |
| Are new workers at your local businesses being shut out of company pension plans? According to the Hot Topics in Retirement survey by human-resources consulting firm Hewitt Associates, of 146 large U.S. companies polled, 6 percent said that they were likely to close the plans to new hires. |
| Ask a local financial consultant if this trend is reflected in your area and how workers should compensate by saving in other ways. For more info contact Maurissa Kanter at 847-442-7656 or maurissa.kanter@hewitt.com. |
| TOW TRUCKS: |
| Cold and stormy weather this time of year means good business for local automobile tow trucks that provide roadside service or a tow to the nearest garage. Survey local tow-truck operators for a story about the seasonal surge in their business. What’s the most common reason they are summoned? |
| Get tips from mechanics on how to avoid winter breakdown. Story should also include costs charged for road service and for a tow. |
| TRANS FATS: |
| How are your local independent restaurants handling the trans-fat phaseout in the U.S.? Many states have or plan to introduce legislation that if passed would ban the use of artery- clogging trans fats in restaurants. Have any local restaurant owners already switched to healthier oils? If customers know about the change do they think the food tastes different? |
| For related info go to: www.bantransfats.com/. |
| WEBSITE OF THE WEEK: |
| WWW.FLICKR.COM. This website aims to make it possible for anyone to share their photos with the world. Is the next Annie Leibovitz or Ansel Adams living in your town and posting their photos on Flickr? Browse through Flickr and find out. |
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| THE IDEA EXCHANGE: |
| (Editor’s Note: Ideas for this department are provided by our subscribers -- let’s hear about some of your best hard news, features and investigative stories. For ideas we run, we pay a $20 nominal fee. Mail ideas to PO Box 737, Glen Echo, Md. 20812, fax them to 888-477-2335 or e-mail to info@citydesk.org.) No exchanges this week. |
